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The Most Expensive Cars at the New York Auto Show

I am speeding down the Pacific Coast Highway, the salty ocean air stinging my face as a fierce wind whips my long, golden brown hair into the heavens. I peer over the edge and watch as the azure water crashes on to the California sun-kissed sand. I stiffen my arms on the hand-sewn Italian leather wheel, physically and mentally bracing for the hairpin turn ahead. I turn the wheel hard to the right as my sidekick twists her muscular yet agile steel body around the tortuous one-lane road. The 20-inch, seven-spoke wheels skid ever so briefly on the pavement, leaving an indelible mark on that stretch of highway. My lips curl into a smirk as I look back over my shoulder. I never doubted our fate.

A loud knock on the glass window rudely interrupts my reverie. My eyes slowly adjust to the glaring fluorescent lights above. I am no longer racing along the Pacific Ocean; I am back to reality in New York City. I fight back tears as I begrudgingly leave my new best friend. I look back at her sleek and striking figure. I can only hope that we will see each other again soon.

Here at the New York International Auto Show I’ve fallen in love with the new Rolls-Royce Wraith, a vehicle Rolls-Royce co-founder Sir Henry Royce would have described as perfection. The Rolls-Royce brand has a storied history and few human beings belong to the rarefied world that the company represents. The Wraith, which made its North American premiere at the show, starts at $300,000 but will likely cost close to $1 million after the (lucky) owner hand-picks the leather, paint, stitching and other luxuries he (or she!) would like to be included in this “custom piece of art.”

The Wraith may be the most expensive car featured at the auto show, but it’s not the only vehicle that draws audible gasps and jealous stares. Car enthusiasts waited in long lines to sit in a McLaren, a sports car that one has to apply for to own, as well as one of three Aston Martins on display. As The Daily Ticker’s Aaron Task and Yahoo! Autos' Justin Hyde point out in the accompanying clip, sales of these opulent and first-class cars are in high-demand -- especially in China and the U.S.

For a $15 auto show ticket, one can see these cars up close – and even have a chance to sit in one. Let the daydreaming begin.